


Scars

by a_loser_s_noodles



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Bit of Zuko's redemption, Blood and Violence, Fix-It, Jet-centric, Morally Grey Iroh, Other, POV Jet, POV Zuko (Avatar), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Zuko and Jet fight, he killed jet's parents, let's talk about his war crimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28585527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_loser_s_noodles/pseuds/a_loser_s_noodles
Summary: Rewriting of the interactions leading up to Jet fighting Zuko, from Jet's point of view and then Zuko's. Jet realises Iroh killed his parents and seeks desperate revenge, and Zuko finds it painful to confront Iroh's participation in the Fire Nation's war crimes. Neither gets closure.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Jet & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 40





	Scars

The boy with the scar catches Jet’s eye the minute he steps foot on the ferry.

It’s undeniable. That’s the face they’ve seen on Fire Nation wanted posters all over the Earth Kingdom. The scar is just too distinct, and the way the boy and his old companion keep away from the other passengers... it _can’t_ be just a coincidence. There are so many of those posters too, whatever that guy did must’ve _really_ pissed the Fire Nation off.

And Jet loves it.

“Jet... we were supposed to start anew, remember?”

Smellerbee’s lips are pouted in disapproval.

“C’m’on, we said we’d have cleaner methods, not that we’d stop fighting... and I’m not like I was before, I swear! I’m literally telling you we should team up with a Fire Nation guy! Doesn’t that show you I’ve changed?

\- Jet, I appreciate that you’re being more open, but I don’t know...” Longshot signs with a severe look in his eyes. “Seems pretty soon to start recruiting...

\- This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! If the Fire Nation wants him _this bad_ , he must either be a threat to them, or, even better, he’s got information that could help take them down! We could do more than just fight random squadrons. We could help _end it_!”

His companions share an exasperated stare and sigh.

“Sure. Let’s try it.”

The boy says his name is Lee. Jet knows that’s not true. It always take “Lee” a second or two before reacting to his name being called. He’s still adjusting to it. Jet’s used enough aliases to know. He also remembers the name on the poster was made up of two characters (though he can’t remember which ones), and Lee is only one.

That confirms it, then. Lee is grumpy and awkward, but he seems disposed to help. It’ll take some nudging, but Jet’s positive he can convince him to join the Freedom Fighters.

But something about Lee’s uncle creeps Jet out. He looks like a kind man, and he’s certainly always been good to Jet, Longshot and Smellerbee, but something about his face seems familiar. When Jet meets his eyes, he feels his legs weakening, but he can’t figure out why. He doesn’t like it.

Longshot was right. Asking Lee to join right after they arrived in Ba Sing Se was a mistake. He’s not fully on board yet. Jet is pretty sure Lee thinks he doesn’t know he’s Fire Nation, which is just silly. No matter how much he tries to hide his accent Jet hears it clear as day, and his eyes have that golden brown colour that is typically Fire Nation.

“I don’t think you want me on your team...”

Jet rolls his eyes and prepares an answer. “Is it because you’re Fire Nation? Don’t be ridiculous, I don’t care...”

But the words are stuck in his throat.

Hot steam is rising from Lee’s uncle’s tea cup. Jet _knows_ it was cold before. It was definitely not steaming.

There are only two explanations. He could be a waterbender, but he’s Fire Nation. So...

“Is something wrong?” Lee says with an impatient furrowed brow.

“No, nothing...”

Jet knows he should let it go. Who cares if he loses a potentially valuable ally in Lee? There are other people who can help him. Smellerbee mentioned looking for the Avatar and his companions, and although Jet doubts they would trust him again that’s a good idea. It’s definitely where they would be most useful in fighting the Fire Nation.

But he can’t stop thinking about Lee and that old man.

So the uncle is a firebender. What else has he been hiding? And why does Jet feel drops of cold sweat on the back of his neck every time he sees him?

He knows there are gaps in his memory. Ever since his parents died, he forgets easily, and he forgets long periods of time. He has almost no memory of his childhood. Could it be he’s met that man then?

Mushi comes back with his neighbour’s spark rocks. He rubs them together and, for a moment, his face is lit up with dancing orange light.

Then Jet remembers.

He clumsily climbed down the tree, and now he feels dizzy. His head is spinning, and he hears cries of pain and cracks of fire. He knows he’s safe. He knows this is just a cold night in Ba Sing Se, and he’s in an alleyway, his back to a brick wall.

But he can’t help it. It’s like he’s back in that unbearable heat. And then he sees her face, half of it red and melted, the flesh hanging onto the bones. He sees her hand reach out to him, and it’s as if he’s back there, small and helpless, recoiling in terror and running away.

He vomits on the sandy ground. There’s a nasty acidic taste mixed in with the salt of his tears.

He’s spent the whole day zoning out, furiously biting at his nails. He remembers everything too well, and it’s killing him. It’s like he can’t escape the memory now. Everywhere he looks, he sees the same stoic face lit up by orange flames. He can’t eat. Smellerbee and Longshot are concerned. He hears her whisper in his ear but can’t make out what she's saying.

Jet's had enough.

“You’re going for a walk? With your swords?”

He doesn’t respond.

He’s standing outside the tea shop. There are people inside, he hears chatter and laughter. There is a woman with her baby daughter. The thought of _that man_ being around children makes Jet’s blood boil.

And yet he can’t bring himself to move. He’s scared. He knows his friends will leave if he attacks now. He’ll be alone again. Just like after he fled from the hellfire. But can he really let this man get away with what he did? How many more has he killed?

How many children haven’t survived? Jet feels disgust with himself for being one of those who managed to run away. He doesn’t deserve it.

He kicks down the tea shop’s door and his vision goes red.

* * *

Now, why the hell is that Jet guy attacking them?

Zuko dodges a hit from one of Jet’s hook swords and holds up his own to counterattack. He hasn’t fought a proper opponent without his bending in forever, and the waves of pain coming from his arms and thighs are an annoying reminder. Jet is tricky to spar against too. He obviously has no formal training, so Zuko is at a loss when it comes to identifying the pattern he’s following.

He looks so smug, too. Didn’t he ask Zuko to join his little friend group a few days ago? What’s he smiling about?

Weirdo.

Zuko tries a wide swing and manages to cut the top of the straw between Jet’s teeth. Good. He’s always hated that thing.

Jet doesn’t stop taunting him too, and it’s increasingly hard for Zuko to repress the urge to kick his leg high and send a crescent of fire right into the other boy’s face.

“I bet you wish you could use your bending now!”

Fucking uncle and his fucking hot tea... Zuko’s tired of cleaning up his messes.

Zuko charges towards Jet, screaming to release some of the frustration. To his surprise, instead of facing him, Jet swoops to the side and jumps in place. Zuko has barely any time to think about what on earth he’s doing, because his nose explodes with pain as he feels Jet’s knee crash into it.

That was low, even for Earth Kingdom trash like that guy...

The image of little Lee and his weird-teethed smile comes to Zuko’s mind, but he shakes it off. That was a one-time thing. He’s learned not to trust the people of the Earth Kingdom.

“Aw, that hurt...”

Behind him, Uncle won’t shut up about how Jet is confused and needs to calm down. Zuko must admit it's kind of annoying. Even though Jet’s being a pain in the ass, he’s not wrong _per se_. They are Fire Nation, and they are firebenders.

After a few seconds of groaning about his nose, Zuko is surprised to realise Jet is not attacking him while he’s down –he definitely wouldn’t put it past him. Instead, he’s rushing towards Uncle, swords drawn out.

“Hey!”

Zuko’s reflexes are good enough for him to leap up and brandish his swords right in time to catch Jet’s. They collide and there are sparks.

“Out of the way, Lee!

\- What do you mean? Why are you attacking us?

\- Oh please, like you don’t know?”

Zuko tilts his head to the side in annoyed confusion, ignoring the painful strain that pushing against Jet takes on his arms.

“Huh?”

Jet’s push lessens slightly.

“You mean... you don’t know?”

He gives Iroh the most despising stare Zuko’s ever seen.

“You haven’t _told him_?”

Before Zuko can ask anything, the ground under his feet springs up and presses Jet’s wrists together in earth shackles. Who called the police? Or whoever these guys are.

Jet protests, incorporating a litany of Earth Kingdom swears Zuko’s never heard and is quite impressed by.

“Let me go! These two! They’re Fire Nation! The old one! He...”

Then something inside Zuko shatters.

“He burned my mother alive!”

People in the crowd vouch for Zuko and Iroh. Uncle blushes when someone compliments his tea. How come he’s not shaken by what Jet said? It’s like he didn’t hear it.

The men other people are calling the Dai Li drag Jet away. Uncle brushes dust off his clothes and prepares to go back inside, but Zuko doesn’t move.

“Are you coming, Zuko?

\- Is what he said true?”

Iroh freezes in place and there is a heavy silence.

“Did you burn his mother alive?

\- I can’t tell you that I did. But I also can’t tell you I did not. There were many people. I forget the faces.”

Even though there is pain and sorrow on Iroh’s face, Zuko can’t help but be repulsed. He always knew Uncle had killed “some” people, but it was more of an abstract concept. Hearing it from a real person’s mouth, seeing the grief his blood was responsible for personified, is a whole other matter. Zuko touches the tight pink tissue on his face. Did Uncle do something similar to anyone else? How much has he hidden from his nephew?

He wonders if he’d have defended Uncle had he known this is why Jet was attacking. Suddenly anger seizes him. He’s sick and tired of being used to fight battles he doesn’t understand, and has lost the will to try to understand. Maybe Uncle isn’t so different from Father or Azula after all. Maybe it's time to do what _he_ thinks is right.

“I’m sorry, Uncle. I need to go.”

He searches and searches, but the Dai Li are gone. And Jet with them.

They will never meet again.


End file.
